Examples of Didactive Poetry in Indonesian

Poetry is a type of work literature which contains thoughts and feelings, and contains elements of sound and rhythm in it. Poetry itself has various types of poetry, some of which have been exemplified in previous articles, such as examples of physical, platonic, and metaphysical poetry,examples of subjective and objective poetry, examples of romantic poetry, examples of dramatic poetry, example of epic poetry, and examples of narrative poetry. This article will also show some examples from a type of poetry, where the type of poetry that will be displayed for example this time is didactic poetry.

According to the id.termwiki.com page, didactic poetry or didactic poetry is poetry that contains ethical, moral, or religious lessons. This poem is more or less the same as example of epigram poetry. In order for readers to better understand what didactic poetry looks like, here are some examples of didactic poetry in language Indonesia taken from various sources.

Example 1:

Boat Poem*
By: Hamzah Fansuri

This is a picture of a hymn,
composing poetry is too beautiful,
repairing the shifting path,
that's where the knot has been corrected.

O youth, know yourselves,
is the boat of your body image,
no matter how long your life is,
to the hereafter your silence will remain.

Hi young wise man,
generate steering with guideline,
pottery also works,
that's the way to correct humans.

In the middle of your boat,
produce supplies of water and wood
paddle oars put there,
so that the speed of the boat.

Never mind the results of wood and screen,
lift up anchors and sails,
on the rice stock do not estimate,
surely the wrong path will be perfect.

Hold on to your boat,
narrow estuary place then,
there are many fish and sharks,
waiting for your boat to leave from there.

The estuary is deep, there are many fish,
there your boat is sunk and wrecked,
the coral is sharp as a spear,
on the sand you suffocate.

*Source: Sapardi Djoko Damono, Saying This Means That, (Jakarta, Gramedia: 2016), pp. 53-54.

Example 2:

Gurindam Twelve*
By: Raja Ali Haji

Chapter 1
whoever does not hold religion
never say the name

whoever is four
then that is the person who is makrifat

whoever knows Allah
tell and upright there is no fault

whoever knows himself
then you know the true God

whoever knows the world
you know it's a tricked thing

whoever knows the afterlife
know it's a bad world

Chapter 2
who knows that one
know what it means to be afraid

whoever leaves prayer
like a house without pillars

whoever leaves fasting
didn't get two terms

whoever leaves zakat
no wealth get a blessing

whoever leaves Hajj
it doesn't make promises

Chapter 3
if you keep your eyes
a little dream

when you keep your ears
bad news has no side

if you keep your tongue
surely can benefit from it

you really keep your hands
rather than asking and light

when the stomach is too full
come out indecent fi'il

middle members should remember
that's where a lot of people lose their spirits

keep your feet
instead of walking that brings loss

………………………………………

*Source: Gurindam Twelve, http://www.rajaalihaji.com/id/works.php? a=SEovUnMvVw%3D%3D= (accessed December 26, 2017 at 15:20)

These are some examples of didactic poetry in English: Indonesia taken from various sources. Thus, this discussion ends here. Hopefully it is useful and able to add insight to all readers, both in the realm of poetry in particular, and in the realm of Indonesian in general. That is all and thank you.